If someone tries to cut you in line at the grocery store or attempts to be seated before you at a busy restaurant, you may use the word “entitled” to describe them. Not sure what entitled (ɪnˈtaɪ.t̬əld) means? Don’t worry; we’ll tell you.

Read on to discover everything you need to know about the term entitled, including its definition, origin, and more. Are you ready? Let’s dive in!

What Is the Definition of Entitled?

According to the Britannica Dictionary, to be entitled to something simply means you’ve been given the right to have or do something. A person can be entitled to an item, benefit, or activity.

When used as an adjective, the word entitled can also be defined as having a title or name.

What Is the Origin of Entitled?

Believe it or not, our word of the day stems from Anglo-French and Latin Roots.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the verb entitle entered the English language sometime between the 15th and 16th century from Old French via Latin intitulare (in- + titulus).

What Are the Synonyms and Antonyms of Entitled?

Now that you understand what our word of the day means, it’s time to review its synonyms and antonyms. To recap, a synonym is a word that means exactly the same — or nearly the same — as another word, whereas an antonym is a word of opposite meaning.

Synonyms

Authorized
Eligible
Allowed
Permitted
Enabled
Licensed
Gave the ok to
Chartered
Seeded
Granted permission to
Nominated
Certified
Granted someone the right
Enrolled
Short-listed
Okayed
Gave the nod
Legit
Kosher
Gave the green light to
Franchised
Privileged
Gave one’s assent to
Empowered
Spelled it out
Dubbed
Known as
By the name of
So called
Nailed it down
Labeled
Described as
Under the name of
Select
Exclusive
Gave a blank cheque to
Exclusory
Cabalistic
Gave the meaning of
Oligarchic
Gave one’s blessing to
Insular
Called a spade a spade
Clannish
Posh
At liberty
In a position to
Capable of
Uncontrolled
Unobstructed
Without constraint
Clear

Antonyms

Banned
Barred
Forbidden
Off-limits
Debarred
Excluded
Disqualified
Shadowy
Threw out
Unrecognized
Unfit
Dismissed
Dropped
Unable
Kicked out
Let go
Not qualified
Faceless
Anonymous
Unknown
Innominate
Unlucky
Not entitled
Legally disqualified
Thoughtless
Prohibited
Declared ineligible
Restricted
Tabo
Desultory
Unthinking
Purposeless
In distress
In need
Badly off
Poor
Underprivileged
Hapless
Needy
Verboten
Not allowed

How Can You Use Entitled in a Sentence?

By now, you should have an improved understanding of the word entitled, but do you know how to use it properly in a sentence? Not to worry; here are a few example sentences for you to review below:

Wow, have you ever read the book entitled Twilight? I hear they made a movie about it, but I don’t tend to get out much. Have you heard about it?

Try as I might, I just simply do not get along with entitled people, and honestly — I’m okay with it.

Seeing as I am paying an arm and a leg for a program that prevents pop-ups, I think I should be entitled to ad free software, too.

Did you know that the adjective entitled simply means you have a legal right to something?

Just because you’re the teacher’s pet doesn’t mean you’re entitled to a thesaurus on the spelling test.

The rich teen came into the store and acted all entitled, cutting in line and demanding immediate service.

Suzie is a paying customer and entitled to use our bathroom.

Todd is entitled to whatever he likes.

Although we don’t see eye to eye, you’re entitled to your own opinions so i’ll learn to live with it.

After getting arrested, the police officer told Jim that he is entitled to have a lawyer.

We are entitled to voite at the age of 18.

You are entitled to one 30-minute lunch break a day.

Each employee is entitled to a three-week paid vacation per year as well as 16 sick days.

If you join the book club, you will be entitled to use the library even when it’s closed!

What Are Translations of Entitled?

Wondering how to say “entitled” in a different language? We have you covered! Below you will find translations of our word of the day, which have been provided by the Cambridge English Dictionary:

Afrikaans — Geregtig
Arabic — معنون
Swedish — berättigad
Czech — oprávněný
American English — Entitled
Russian — Право
Turkish — Başlıklı
Italian — intitolato
Chinese (simplified) — 有权
Danish — Ret
Greek — Δικαίωμα
French — intitulé
Croatian — Pod nazivom
German — anspruchsberechtigt
Dutch — getiteld
Portuguese — intitulado
Spanish — autorizado
Finnish — Oikeus
Norwegian — Rett
Bulgarian — озаглавен
Polish — uprawniony
Korean — 받을 자격이
Vietnamese — Quyền
Japanese — 権利
Thai — มีสิทธิ
Ukrainian — Право
British English — Entitled

Bottom Line

Simply put, the term entitled describes someone who thinks they deserve better than anyone else for no real reason. An entitled person is one who may be spoiled, rude, and ungracious.

In other words, if you believe that you should be worshipped and that you have a right to the good things in life without necessarily having to work for them — you’re entitled.

Sources:

ENTITLED : definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

ENTITLE : Meaning & Definition for UK English | Lexico.com

The Meaning of “Entitled To” | Britannica Dictionary

Entitled definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.